The present invention relates generally to projectile launchers and more particular to toy vehicle launchers which utilize combustible gas as a propellant.
For decades, projectile launchers and especially toy rockets have been popular playthings for children of all ages. Such rockets have been made available in all shapes and sizes and many models have been provided with their own propellant. Most toy rockets that have been the playthings of children are designed to be launched by one of various means into the air for flight.
One method of launching rockets has been with the use of solid fuel rocket engines. These solid fuel rocket engines provide ample thrust to launch a rocket several hundred feet into the air. However, there are many dangers involved with the use of solid fuel engines. For instance, once the engine is ignited its burn can not be stopped until the entire fuel supply of the engine has been utilized.
Rockets have also been designed to include a pressure tank in which pressurized air or water is stored and expelled through a nozzle in order to propel the rocket, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,153. However, once these rockets are fully pressurized they cannot be removed from the launcher without firing the rocket. Many of these types of rockets do not include safety mechanisms which prevent the rocket from firing should it be oriented in a position other than vertical. As such, many of these rockets may be accidentally or purposely fired at people or property.
Another popular method of launching toy rockets has been with a launcher which utilizes compressed air behind the rocket to propel it forward, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,216. While these rockets do not utilize dangerous solid fuel burning engines they typically do not have enough power to propel the rocket to great heights.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for a launcher that can propel a vehicle such as a rocket with a great velocity but without a prolong burning of fuel. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.
In a preferred form of the invention a launcher adapted to launch a projectile comprises a combustion chamber, a launch tube in fluid communication with the combustion chamber configured to receive a projectile, a separation chamber in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, a fuel cell mounted within the separation chamber adapted to isolate hydrogen from a supply of water, a power supply electrically coupled to the fuel cell, and spark generating means mounted within the combustion chamber for generating a spark to ignite gases within the combustion chamber. With this construction, water is positioned within the separation chamber so as to immerse the fuel cell, whereby energy supplied to the fuel cell causes it to convert a portion of the water into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, and whereby the spark generating means ignites the hydrogen gas causing a rapid pressurization of the launch tube which causes a projectile thereon to be propelled.